Los Angeles based jazz violinist, singer, songwriter and inspirational author Nora Germain is coming back to Pizza Express Jazz Club to celebrate her new album ‘Nora'” featuring a collection of her own original songs alongside re-imagined swinging jazz standards done in a way only she can. Having performed with artists like John Altman, Martin Taylor, Tommy Emmanuel, Jacob Collier, Sam Smith, Postmodern Jukebox and Jon Batiste, she also enjoys leading her own band in cities around the world and has won herself new fans everywhere she goes. You won’t want to miss this lunchtime show, featuring a spectacular line-up of London’s finest funk, pop and jazz musicians.

More details: https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/nora-germain

The final in our series of Jazz Herstory presents, Poplar Union brings you Yazz Ahmed.

Yazz Ahmed is a British Bahraini trumpet and flugelhorn player who has played with everyone from Radiohead to Jazz Jamacia, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry to Courtney Pine. She has written commissions for London Jazz Festival, Serious and the Southbank. She has performed across the UK and toured extensively around the world. Yazz developed a new instrument to enable her to delve deeper into Arabic music. She has recently released an album called ‘La Sabateuse’, music which is a deep exploration of her mixed heritage and her growing interest in sound design and electronic effects. The album has been described as ‘intoxicating, compelling and sonically outstanding’, and is transforming what jazz means in the 21st century.

Age range: 14 plus

An exhilarating fusion of Indian music and contemporary jazz with some of Paris’ finest musicians.

Refracting the spirit of India through the prism of jazz, Guillaume Barraud launches Arcana: The Indo-Jazz Sessions (on Riverboat) finding a sound that floats timelessly whilst bubbling with restlessly energy; setting the pure tones of the bansuri flutes against hard-edged electric guitar and moody, grooving bass and drums.

Barraud first started playing guitar at very young age, but it wasn’t until his encounter with the Indian music legend Hariprasad Chaurasia that he began to find his voice with the subtle and haunting sound of the Indian bamboo flute. Five years under Chaurasia’s guidance awakened the inspiration.

Imbued with the sacred colors of India, the album Arcana is composed on guitar, an instrument with which the author has kept a strong bond over the years. Its content is narrative but open to improvisation.

In 2015 he founded his quartet, featuring British guitarist Tam De Villiers, Belgian drummer Xavier Rogé and bassist Johann Berby from Reunion Island. Arcana was recorded in just 2 days. This evening they make their UK debut.

“We had Shakti and the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the 70’s, and more recently Mukta in France, which has mixed jazz and sitar. The Guillaume Barraud Quartet renews and modernizes the Indo-Jazz fusion genre.” *Jean-François Viaud – Jazz Rhône-Alpes * “When Guillaume Barraud’s quartet arrives on stage, we discover yet another face of jazz… The delicate melody of the Bansuri flute wraps around the neck, down the back, soothes, softens. This quartet is a kind of flying carpet” Caroline Prévost – La TeamZic

Guillaume Barraud: bansuri flutes Tam de Villiers: electric guitar Johann Berby: bass guitar (Trilok Gurtu Group) Xavier Rogé: drums (Ibrahim Maalouf Quintet)

Just East were formed in 1993 and rapidly gained a reputation as one of the first and best groups to explore the connections between jazz and klezmer. Since then the band has developed a sound and approach all their own with a uniquely off-beam take on contemporary music, incorporating world, folk and classical influences in their impressionistic style. Composition and improvisation are seamlessly linked, an approach that has led to favourable comparisons with fusion pioneers Weather Report and prog rock innovators Gong.
“…a restlessly virtuosic display of exceptionally punchy rhythmic precision and tight but flighty improvisation” Jazzwise
“A wonderful amalgamation of inspired writing and stunning playing” The Musician
“…rapid transitions and tight unison playing…a razor-sharp ensemble sound…” Guardian
with Neil Angilley: keys • Jeremy Shoham: sax • Rick Finlay: drums/percussion • Phil Scragg: bass